The top rack of your dishwasher: how to use it properly
Ah, the dishes. Whether they put you in a zen state or feel like pure domestic horror: sooner or later, you’ll find yourself standing there with crumb-covered plates in your hands in front of that one mysterious kitchen friend we all think we understand—but usually treat incorrectly: the dishwasher. And especially that top rack. What are you actually supposed to put in there, and what shouldn’t you? Time for some clarity.
There are people who consider breaking up with their partner if they consistently load the dishwasher incorrectly. Perhaps that’s a little excessive, but it is definitely irritating. It can be better! Especially if you—or your partner—understand the top rack of your dishwasher a little better.
The top rack of the dishwasher: underestimated and misunderstood
Look, the bottom rack is obvious. Plates. Pans. The big boys. But the top rack of the dishwasher? That’s the section for the sensitive types. The delicate divas of the dinnerware world. Reusable plastic containers, glassware, mugs and anything that would rather not have an 80-degree jet of hot water blasted in its face. And yes, that is exactly why some containers say: “top rack only”. Not an empty warning. Just pure survival instinct.
Why the top is better (for some things)
The bottom of your dishwasher is where the fireworks happen: the spray arms, the water pressure, the heating elements. Everything that cleans hardcore—and everything that transforms your plastic lunchbox into soup in a single cycle. That’s why delicate items belong at the top. This means reusable plastic containers and lids, ceramic mugs, glasses (wine, beer, fancy coffee glasses—anything with sentimental value) and small kitchen items that don’t want to die between the knives in the cutlery basket.
In other words: the top is the VIP lounge. Gentler water pressure, slightly less heat and a better chance that your favorite coffee mug won’t break.
The right way to load the top rack of your dishwasher
We’re not going to tell you how to live. But we will tell you how to optimize your racks like a pro. Here are a few of those little life hacks that will save both your dishes and your mood:
1. Check your dishwasher’s loading diagram
Did you know that your dishwasher probably has a manual explaining how to load it? Not sexy, but useful. Search for the brand + model number and voilà: you’ll get a nice diagram showing how your specific racks are best used.
2. Check the underside of your dishes
Does it say “top rack only”? Then they mean the top rack. Don’t secretly shove it in the bottom anyway because you can’t be bothered to puzzle it out. Melting danger is lurking.
3. Point everything downward and toward the center
That spray water doesn’t come out of thin air; it is sprayed from the center. So everything you put in the top rack? Let it lean toward the center, with the open side facing downward. Otherwise, water will remain in your glass as if you’ve just made a rain gauge. Sounds logical, but try looking at it through the mind of a teenager. Yes, we speak from experience.
4. Stop pre-rinsing. Seriously.
We already shared this point with you in the article about dishwashing myths. You really don’t need to hold your plate under the tap until it gleams. Modern dishwashers can easily deal with a bit of sauce or crumbs. Rinsing everything off actually makes your dishwasher less effective (yes, the manufacturers themselves say so). And to that one colleague reading along: that doesn’t mean you can put half your salad in the appliance, plate and all—that’s not the idea either (yes, you!)
Things you should not put in the top rack
Just to be clear, because yes: there are limits to the gentleness of the top rack too.
The sink strainer (yes, someone tried it)
Cutting boards that are too tall and block the spray arm
Spoons that you slide between the racks so they bounce out at the first spray.
Small blessings in a sea of dishes
Do you suddenly feel delighted at the thought that your glass will no longer come out of the machine cloudy? Or that your plastic container will keep its shape? That’s the magic of the top rack of the dishwasher. No advanced mathematics, but a major impact.
Because yes, doing the dishes remains an everlasting chore (although it also provides plenty of relaxation, according to research). But a dishwasher that does its job and keeps your belongings intact? That’s a small victory in the household—and in many a relationship. And that deserves to be celebrated. With a clean wine glass. From the top rack, of course. And with this brilliant hack—which you probably didn’t know yet—your wine glass will always fit in the dishwasher.
And how do you get your dishwasher sparkling clean again? You can do that with these five tips.
Read also:
- Bacchus Wine Festival returns to Amsterdamse Bos—and you’ll want to be there
- The way you hold your wine glass says more about you than you think
- This is what sommeliers find extremely irritating about guests
Source: Tasting Table
